[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] {+} July 24th 1847 This is an important day in the History of my life and the History of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints. On this important day after trav[eling] from our encampment 6 miles through the deep ravene, valley, ending with the canion through the last creek we came in full view of the great valley or Bason [of] the Salt Lake and land of promise held in reserve by the hand of GOD for a resting place for the Saints upon which A portion of the Zion of GOD will be built.
We gazed with wonder and admiration upon the vast rich fertile valley which lay for about 25 miles in length & 16 miles in wedth Clothed with the Heaviest garb of green vegitation in the midst of which lay a large lake of Salt water ... Our hearts were surely made glad after A Hard Journey from winter Quarters of 1,200 miles through flats of Platt Rivers steeps of the Black Hills & the Rocky mountains And burning sands of the eternal Sage regions & willow swails & Rocky Canions & stubs & Stones, to gaze upon A valley of such vast extent entirely Surrounded with a perfect chain of everlasting hills & mountains Coverd with eternal snow with there inumerable peaks like Pyramids towering towards Heaven presenting at one view the grandest & most sublime seenery Probably that could be obtained on the globe.
Thoughts of Pleasing meditations ran in rapid succession through our minds while we contemplated that not many years that the House of GOD would stand upon the top of the Mountains while the valleys would be converted into orchard, vineyard, gardings & fields by the inhabitants of zion & the Standard be unfurled for the nations to gather there to.
President Young expressed his full satisfaction in the Appearance of the valley as A resting place for the Saints & was Amply repayed for his Journey.
After gazing awhile upon the seenery we travled across the table land into the valley 4 miles to the encampment of our Brethren who had arived 2 days before. [-] they had pitched there encampment upon the bank of two small streams of pure water & had commenced plowing. Had broke about 5 acres of ground & commenced planting Potatoes.
As soon As we were formed in the encampment before I took my dinner having 1/2 a bushel of potatoes I repaired to the ploughed field & planted my potatoes Hopeing with the blessings of God at least to save the Seed for another year.
The Brethren had damed up one of the creeks & dug a trench & by night nearly the whole ground was Irrigated with water. We found the ground vary dry.
Towards evening in company with Brs Kimball Smith & Benson I rode several miles up the creek into the mountain to look for timber [-] country &c. There was A thunder Shower & it rained nearly over the whole rally & also it rained some the fore part of the night. We felt thankful for this As it was the general con[cederation?] that it did not rain in the valley during summer [days?].
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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